For this week’s activity post, I have decided to take a look at the critical medical anthropological theory for evaluating the issue of Tuberculosis in Cambodia. The critical medical anthropological theory is what looks at all the circumstances for a person and decides whether or not those things impact the person or a group of people. This looks at the political, economic, or social power that is in place during that specific time (ANP 270 Week 1 Lecture 4). All these factors play an important role in determining the health of humans. The reason I think this theory fits best for the issue of Tuberculosis in Cambodia is because different parts of the world have access to different technology and resources. While some countries can have amazing health care that is very affordable, easy to get to, and is very beneficial for the entire population, other parts of the world may not have the same options. 

For Cambodia, health care services are varied depending on where in the country one resides. In the mountainous places, getting health care is very difficult and often can take a while to get to the facility, while if one lives in the city, it is a lot easier to get to. A quote by the department of Epidemiology in Phonm Penh states that “prevention is better than treatment” (Health Care in Cambodia). It is easier to help prevent certain diseases and infections than it is to treat them, and this is mainly because primary health care is very limited in Cambodia. They tend to focus on curative medicine which is the intention of fully getting rid of the health problem in the hopes that it doesn’t come back. Instead of for example, getting the proper vaccines and regularly being seen by a physician to help prevent such health issues from happening that are completely preventable to begin with. 

The main problem with incorporating this into society is that the hospitals and medical facilities are geared more towards certain specialties. Meaning one can be podiatry, another could be pediatrics, or geriatrics and so on. There aren’t many that are primary care so many have to travel far to see someone. Fortunately, they do have a National Tuberculosis Institution that has been established to help treat and prevent others from getting TB. This is a huge step in getting the proper care for the general population in Cambodia. The critical medical anthropology has been used to introduce and advocate places like this. It is an effective way in introducing policies and solutions in the public health area of the country (Witeska, 2015).  This is really important for patients to understand the issue of Tuberculosis and helps inform them of what the health benefits are in preventing TB. Tuberculosis has been slowly declining, and this is all due to programs that help treat, prevent, and inform the people on the severity of it. “Dr. Mao Tan Eang, national TB program manager in the Cambodian Ministry of Health, says that the TB program owes its success to a clear evidence-based policy and plan, strong technical expertise, government commitment and leadership, as well as sustained support from international donors and partners” (WHO, 2014). This is all part of the critical medical anthropology theory. 

“Cambodia Turns a TB Health Crisis into an Opportunity.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 19 Mar. 2014, www.who.int/features/2012/tb_cambodia/en/.

Witeska-Młynarczyk, Anna. “Critical Medical Anthropology–a Voice for Just and Equitable Healthcare.” Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine : AAEM, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26094543.

“Health Care in Cambodia.” Cultural Survival, www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/health-care-cambodia.